(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system which performs utilizing management of contents such as programs and data and more particularly to a contents utilizing management system by which the utilizing amount of contents can be charged to an account (accounting). The contents utilizing management system is applicable to a meta-distribution system for the contents (software).
(2) Description of the Related Art
A distribution system in which contents (software such as programs and data) and authorization for use of the contents (right for use of the contents) are sold separately, a so called meta-distribution system, has been proposed (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,093). The compensation for the authorization of contents depends on the amount of permissible utilization (such as the number of permissible times of utilization, the number of permissible utilization term and the permissible period of time of utilization) of the contents.
In such a meta-distribution system, each of a number of user computers is provided with a utilizing amount management apparatus. A permissible utilizing amount (an initial value), corresponding to a purchase price of the authorization for use of the contents, is set in the utilizing amount management apparatus apart from the contents supplied to each of the user computers via CD-ROMs, networks and the like. Before the contents are used in a user computer, the user computer refers to the utilizing amount management apparatus for whether the permissible utilizing amount has any existing remainder (any remainder number of utilization times, any remainder of the utilization term and any remainder of the utilizing period of time). If any remainder of the permissible utilizing amount exists, the utilizing amount management apparatus grants utilizing permission to the user computer. After the utilizing permission is granted to the user computer, the contents can be utilized in the user computer. The utilizing amount management apparatus updates the permissible utilizing amount in accordance with an actual utilizing mode such that utilizing permission is granted to the user computer (e.g., one time is subtracted from the permissible number of times of utilization).
On the other hand, if there is no remaining permissible utilizing amount (the remaining utilizing number of times is equal to zero xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d, expiration of the permissible utilizing term, or if the remaining utilizing period of time is equal to zero xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d), the utilizing amount management apparatus does not grant utilizing permission to the user computer. The utilization of the contents in the user computer is rejected. In order to further utilize the contents in the user computer, the authorization for use of the contents is purchased and the permissible utilizing amount corresponding to the purchase price is again set in the utilizing amount management apparatus.
In the system described above, the authorization for use of the contents is purchased with a price corresponding to the amount of permissible utilization of the contents, and the permissible utilizing amount is decreased every time the contents are utilized. The contents can be utilized by an amount of utilization (an amount of time, a term or a period of time) corresponding to a sum of money paid for the authorization.
However, in the above system, the utilizing amount management apparatus has to be set to each of the user computers in which the contents can be utilized. Thus, in a case of a company in which the contents are utilized in a plurality of (a large number of) computers in a local network, a large number of utilizing amount management apparatuses which should be set to the respective computers are needed. As a result, the cost of constructing the system increases.
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and useful contents utilizing management apparatus in which the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art are eliminated.
A specific object of the present invention is to provide a contents utilizing management apparatus by which a system charging the utilizing amount for contents utilized in a plurality of computers to accounts can be constructed with as low a cost as possible.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a contents utilizing management apparatus comprising: utilizing condition storing means for storing a utilizing condition corresponding to a sum of money of purchased authorization of contents; determination means, coupled to a plurality of computers in which contents are utilized, for determining, based on the utilizing condition of the contents referring to a utilizing request supplied from one of the plurality of computers, whether the contents can be utilized; and utilizing permission means for supplying permission to utilize the contents to the one of the plurality of computers when the determination means determines that the contents can be utilized.
According to the present invention, when a utilizing request for contents is supplied from each of the plurality of computers to the contents utilizing management apparatus, it is determined, based on a utilizing condition of the contents referring to the utilizing request, whether the contents can be utilized. That is, the single contents utilizing management apparatus can receive a utilizing request for the contents from the plurality of computers. It is not necessary to provide the contents utilizing management apparatus to each of the plurality of computers. Thus, a system charging the utilizing amount of contents utilized in the plurality of computers to accounts can be constructed with a cost as low as possible.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a contents utilizing system using the above contents utilizing management apparatus.
The object of the present invention is achieved by a contents utilizing system comprising: a plurality of computers in which contents are utilized; and a contents utilizing management apparatus, connected to the plurality of computers by a local network and connected to a center computer by a predetermined network, for managing utilization of the contents in each of the plurality of computers based on a utilizing condition corresponding to a sum of money of purchased authorization of the contents, the utilizing condition supplied from the center computer, the contents utilizing management apparatus comprising: utilizing condition storing means for storing the utilizing condition corresponding to the sum of money of the purchased authorization of contents; determination means, coupled to the plurality of computers in which contents are utilized, for determining, based on the utilizing condition of the contents referring to a utilizing request supplied from one of the plurality of computers, whether the contents can be utilized; and utilizing permission means for supplying permission to utilize the contents to the one of the plurality of computers when the determination means determines that the contents can be utilized.
According to the present invention, a contents utilizing system using the above contents utilizing management apparatus can be formed.